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LOT 142
Historic Documented Cased Colt Model 1851 London Navy Percussion
Revolver with Elaborate Gold Damascene Decoration and Inscription for Captain
G.W.T. Rich of the 71st Highland Light Infantry - Serial no. 17048, 36 cal., 7 1/2 inch
octagon bbl., gold damascene/silver finish, walnut grips. This is a highly attractive example
of a rare Colt London Model 1851 Navy revolver with gold damascene decoration (also
known as koftgari in India). The revolver was pictured in Joseph G. Ross’“Colonel Colt
London” on page 35 and was also featured on the cover of the March 1960 issue of “The
Gun Report” where it was cited as “one of the finest damascened Colts in the country.” The
revolver’s back strap has an inscription for an officer that reads: “Captn G. W. T. Rich/71st
Hld Lt. Inf.” George Whitworth Talbot Rich (1822-1902) was an officer of the 71st Highland
Light Infantry (aka 71st Highland Regiment of Foot) which headed to Corfu in 1853 and
from there to service in Crimea during the Crimean War where it saw action at the Siege
of Sevastopol. Captain Rich is identified as disembarking at Balaclava with 120 men
headed to the front and as being attached to the Highland division and as serving in the
trenches and being present for the fall of the city. He received a Medal with Clasp, and the
Turkish Medal, and was received a brevet to major. Rich and the Highlanders were in India
in 1859 at the end of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and took possession of Gwalior for
which he was awarded a Medal with Clasp and made brevet lieutenant colonel. Reports
from 1859 indicate Rich led a detachment of the 71st and participated in the pursuit of
rebels under Rao Sahib, Feroze Shah, Adil Mahommed Khan, and others on the 5th of April in 1859. His report was signed: “G.W. Rich, Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel, 71st Highland Light Infantry, Commanding Column, 1st Brigade, Gwalior Division.”They fought in the jungle against the rebels and lost three men. They routed the rebels at Nainwas for which he received the thanks of the Governor General in Counsel. Rich’s father was Sir George B. Rich, and his grandfather was Sir Charles B. Rich, 1st Baronet. He married Adelaide Gore, the daughter of General Sir Charles S. Gore, in 1864.
The revolver is profusely engraved with delicate, floral pattern, gold damascene/koftgari decoration. The patterns cover
virtually the entire metal surfaces of the revolver with the exception of the trigger guard, back strap, hammer, trigger, loading lever plunger, and screws. The back strap and trigger guard are silver plated. The decoration was executed by Indian artisans
and exemplifies the relationship between Great Britain and India in the mid-19th century. The top flat of the revolver barrel is marked: “ADDRESS COL. COLT LONDON” in a decorated panel. The left side of the frame has the “COLT’S/PATENT” marking is
two lines. London proof marks are stamped on the left side of the barrel just in front of the wedge and are stamped between each chamber of the cylinder. The serial number “17048” is located on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, back strap, cylinder,
and loading lever. All of the visible serial numbers match. The grips are varnished English walnut. The birdseye maple revolver case and damascene finish are nearly identical to the London Dragoon and Navy revolvers illustrated on pages 119 and 121 of “The Book of Colt Engraving” by R.L. Wilson. The revolver was manufactured in 1855 and is complete with a velvet lined, seven- compartment, English oak case. The case contains: a cleaning rod with blued steel handle, blue Colt nipple wrench, two-cavity, iron, Colt bullet mold, tin of Eley percussion caps, packet of Sage combustible cartridges and bag-shaped powder flask by Dixon. The bullet mold has a blue finish. The mold’s sprue cutter is marked “COLT’S/PATENT” in two lines, and the right leg is marked
“36 B”. The percussion cap container has a tinned body with green paper label. The bag-shaped flask has a body with brown lacquer finish and a lanyard loop on the bottom. The top and spout are brass plated. The top is marked: “JAMES.DIXON/& SONS/ SHEFFIELD” in three lines. The case has a blank brass plate on the cover and is lined with blue velvet. The case lid is secured by two external hooks and a lock.
CONDITION: Excellent. Nearly all of the period applied gold damascene finish remains. Minor handling wear is limited to the
hammer and loading lever plunger. The trigger guard and back strap retain 80% silver plating. The inscription of the back strap is
faint and pre-dates the damascene overlay. The varnished grips are very fine and retain most of the original finish with a few, minor
handling scratches and some finish wear on the bottom. The case exterior is fine with light to moderate handling and storage wear.
The velvet lining is excellent with only light compression marks an several small tears in the fabric. The cleaning rod and nipple
wrench have some minor wear and are fine. The bullet mold is excellent with nearly all of the original blue finish. The body of the
powder flask has several minor dents, nearly all the original lacquer and plated finish remains and is excellent. Both the cartridge
packet and cap tin are excellent. This is a rare and very attractive cased revolver from the days of the British Empire and Indian Rebellion of 1857. Provenance: The Gene E. Miller Collection; The Norm Vegely Collection.
132 Estimate: 20,000 - 30,000
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK COLONEL COLT LONDON BY ROSA AND ON THE COVER OF THE MARCH 1960 ISSUE OF THE GUN REPORT